Extremists a bigger threat

One of the common subtexts of the Second Amendment discussion is that unlimited firearms ownership somehow will prevent a dictatorial or totalitarian government. Living in the Inland Northwest, we are familiar with the extremist crowd; the Order, the Freemen, the National Socialists, the Montana Militia, etc., whose delusional rantings have not, amazingly, drawn attention from the jack-booted thugs of government.

More importantly is the absolute failure of the conspiracy crowd to come to the aid of their neighbors under fire. Consider Randy Weaver. A well-regulated citizen militia could have easily challenged the feds and assisted Weaver and his family. Instead, we had Bo Gritz mugging for the cameras and selling real estate. Honestly, I think that it is more likely that the right wing paranoids would loot your house after an incident than stand up with neighborly help.

We do not live in “Red Dawn,” original or remake. The risk to the integrity of the United States and our Constitution comes not from government but from the radical right and its fellow travelers in Congress and the gun lobby.

Pat Hayes

Keller, Wash.